LUBBOCK – The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center today (Aug. 10) received
a gift from long-time West Texas supporters, the Bill and Corinne Wright family. The
gift will help establish the Corinne Payne Wright Regents Endowed Chair in Alzheimer’s
disease.

The endowment, which aims to improve the cognitive disorders of late life, will be
located within the School of Medicine’s Department of Neuropsychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences. The endowment is created through funds contributed by the Wright family
along with a one-third match from the Health Sciences Center.

The Wright family owns and operates ASCO, a heavy line equipment dealer and rental
house founded in 1960.

Corinne Payne Wright was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2001. Paula Wright
Key said her mother is a Texas Tech fan and supporter. “Our family wanted to honor
her and Dr. Randolph Schiffer,” Key said. “When mother is too ill to bring in for
her appointments, Dr. Schiffer personally comes and pays a house call to her. He is
a good friend and supporter of our family.”

The Alzheimer’s Research Foundation estimates that about 5 million Americans suffer
from Alzheimer's disease, and about 360,000 people are newly diagnosed every year.
Alzheimer's affects about 10 percent of people ages 65 and older. Half of the population
ages 85 and older may have Alzheimer's.
Because the population of the United States is aging, the number of people with Alzheimer's
will continue to rise unless preventative measures are discovered. At current rates,
experts believe that as many as 16 million Americans will have the disease by the
year 2050.

M. Roy Wilson, M.D., M.S., president of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences
Center, said endowments that support academic development are essential for a vision
of excellence for all health sciences centers across the nation.

“Through the Wright family’s generosity, we can become major participants in the quest
to find answers to important research questions on Alzheimer’s and other age-related
diseases,” Wilson said. “We are extremely grateful.”

Schiffer, chair of the Department of Neuropsychiatry, said the Wright family has
been a vital supporter of West Texas for several generations.

“They give back to the community in many ways, with notable contributions in community
leadership, business success, financial support for education, and academic endowments
at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center,” Schiffer said. “Their company’s
beliefs and core values stress service, spirituality and generosity to their employees.
With the Wright family by our side, I don’t see how we can fail to make a difference
in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.”